Picnic table



L.. ALCH PICNIC TABLE .Hume 20, 31950 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 18 1946 FIGA..

FIGB.

/A/ve-AU-OR LEssING ALCH .Fume 20, `1950 L. ALCH 2,5l2,473

PICNIC TABLE Filed April le. 194e s sheets-sheet 2,

FIG.5.

/N VEN rw@ LEsslNG ALCH @www L. ALCH PICNIC TABLE Fume 20, E950 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed April 18 1946 /NvEMr-ore LEsslNG ALCH ATTO/@ver MM QM @Nm S lower margin to provide recesses 38 and the center or drop legs 33 are of symmetrically reduced width, at 35, so as to nest neatly within the recess" 30. It is thus evident that the table and 4 In the initial setting up of the table and, while the bench assemblies are still nested, it is possible to extend the supporting legs 28 and 33 `and otherwise fully prepare the benches for positionment on the door, ground or other surface as the case may be. When this method of erection of the benches is followed, it is a simple act to withdraw them from slideways 3T and swing the same under direction of arms 4G ateachend tonal position. The fact that the benches can be 'moved into and out of the slideways 31, whether or not the the convenience of handling the table, as will now be appreciated.

assemblies may be completelyfolded up and the -notch ,3,11 forniecliiil the inwardly rdirected face toreceive the end lips pf each of the seat planks.

Aswill presently appear, thev notches. 31 act as `slide-ways to permit lateral sliding movement of the, benchassemblies (Figures 6) when the same are movedbetween extended and nested positions.

An limportantfeature of the present constructionis disclosedv inther means for movably and foldably attaching each'of' the bench assemblies to the table. This means is found in the "arm members 40, one ysuch armbeing operably positioned at each endof each of the bench assemblies 24 and 2 5, and each further being vconnected to anadjacenttable leg-lzfina lost motion relation. In Figures 4, 5 and.6,' itcan be seen that the arms 40 are swingably and pivotally connected by a double-acting hinge `4`l1fto the outerv end of the bench cleats `2'Land extenddownwardly and Darallel to the adjacent table legs l5. Near the lower-end, of eachsuch arm 40, a longitudinal vslot 42 is 4providedto receive in loose fitting relation the shank portionof a guide `and support pin=43iixed in the table leg. lIt isimportant to note that the hinge member 4l for .each arm v4l! provides for hinging action thereof .in a direction to allow it to move witlrthe.- table'legs `as they fold and unfold (Figures Zand 4). In addition, each, =of the arms-is free to swing in, a lateral direction or parallel tothe benchcleat to which it isA attached (Figure-9).

.hinging movement of peacharm 40 is necessary trpcrmit ythe ,samer-,temeva with thevtable legs :I .when-'they are.4 foldedor unfolded andy this -concurreniJ y movement ,of arms .and table legs ,|5is 'accomplisheiin part, by ythe 10st :motion 'slots'. 42 -infeach of the arms. v0n the other hand, :each arm 40-mustimoyeorhinge Nin a direction parallel with the adjacent benchieleats 21 so that, as' the.= bench assembliesA are withdrawn from Portability of the table is provided for in the wheel assemblies 45 for cooperation with either end pair of table legs i 5. In Figure 10 of the drawing, it may be seen that the wheel assem- The inst-mentioned y nested relation (see left hand bench yin full line inFigure 9) .for-erection and..` use (dotted outline in .Figure 9), the farmsgflln will swing? out and assume-positions of support below the bench seat planks. At the same time the slots 42 will allow `be nested under-thetable as desired, thus leaving one or both sides of the table free and accessible.

ysome lateral-movement of the bench assemblies blies each comprise a ,wheel 46 carried on a bracket 41', which, in turn, is provided with a sleevevtype body 4B to, telescope over thelower end portion of the table leg i5. The sleeve body is preferably cylindrical, to match with' the shape of the leg p I5. Since y each wheel 46v of the assemblies extends belowthe4 `bracket 4.1'ffor groundclearance it is necessary to shorten'ithe leg' `length of that pair of legs with j which they are associated. Moreover, each of these wheel assembliesv is'arranged for limited swiveling movement, so that it can be folded in to retracted position, as inFigure 3, for completing the compact folded arrangement desired. Positional control ofjthe swivelingyassembliesis accomplished ,by means .of a laterally or circumferentially formed slot 5U near the upper end of .each cylindrical .body 48. Each slot 50 extends circumferentially over approximately degrees of arc `of the bodyv sleeve and terminates in a locking slot 5l directed at `90 degrees thereto. A cooperating pin 52 secured in the table leg rides in the slot and restricts the swiveling moveyment of' the. body.48. Preferably,i the slot 50 and locking slots 5i at each end thereof are l0- cated such that the wheel assembly may be secured infolded position (Figure 3,) with pin 52 in the appropriate locking slot 5|. When it is desired to `extend the Wheel assembly, the body sleeve 43 must be, moved longitudinallyoutwardly of the table. leg until pin 52 lcan slide in the lateral slot 5l, whereupon the assembly can be rotated 30l degrees, pin 52 then being received inthe opposite locking slot 5i lby .longitudinal inward movement ofl the sleeve 48. In this lat ter position, the weight of the table on wheel 46 will retain pin 52 in slot 5|. ,A study of the lseveraLviews of the drawing will be sufi'icient forunderstanding ofI the above described wheel assembly. l 4 j It should now be clearthat the presentlyv 'preferred wheel assembly arrangement will provide the means forrendering thev table easily portable either while` it is completedly folded, Aas inIFigzurec, orlwhen .1in various stagesof erection. viitl'rthe tableand ,side bench assemblies fully set up, Yas in Figure', it is possible to transport .the same.` on Wheels 4.6 by iirst moving the bench assemblies to nested positions' in slideways 3'1. Other. and furtherdetails .ofconstruction and assembly of the several parts and'co'inponent assemblies herein above described will become evident upon inspection of the drawing; While thepresent ldisclosure is a presently` preferred one, .it yshould be clearly understood that cerf tainQmQdiiiCatiOnsand minorfchanges in structure and disposition o'f parts may be made without departing'from tlierspiritand *full intended scope of the invention, thesame being-:defined in 'and'by-thefsubjoinedclaims. 1.11. Havingthus described. myeinventiong-:zwhat I claim and'de'sire to .secure by-Letters Patent is:

l. A vpicnic table comprisingfia topfimember, transverseend rails .secured-upon' the under face ofthe top mem-ber adjacentieach fend and having inwardly lpresented grooves., l'.swin'gable.'pairs of leg-members hingedly nmounted-)fin the end rails of the top-member, and bench-'fineans swingably mountedupon the leg-membersland having. a seat board adaptedV tomi]1 edgevvise into the grooves of the end rails when the bench means is folded up into nested underlying relat nfb'en'evaththe top member.,y Q

2. Apicnic table comprising y"a topniem-ber, transverse end rails secured upon the under face of the top member adjacent each end thereof, pairs of connected leg-members hingedly mounted upon the end rails for optional disposition in upright position perpendicular to the top member and collapsed position in spaced parallel relation to the under face of the top member, and collapsible bench means swingably mounted upon the leg-members and adapted to be folded into nested underlying relation beneath the top member in the space between the leg-members and the top member when the leg-members are folded into collapsed position.

3. A picnic table comprising a top member, transverse end rails secured upon the under face of the top member adjacent each end thereof, pairs of connected leg-members hingedly mounted upon the end rails for optional disposition in upright position perpendicular to the top member and collapsed position in spaced parallel relation to the under face oi the top member, collapsible bench means swingably mounted upon the leg-members and adapted to be folded into nested underlying relation beneath the top member in the space between the leg-members and the top member When the leg-members are folded into collapsed position, and roller elements mounted upon the ends of one pair of leg-members and adapted optionally to be shifted into operative position when the leg-members are upright and folded flatwise into compact underlying relation When the leg-members are in co1- lapsed position.

4. A picnic table comprising a top member, swingable leg members hingedly mounted at opposite ends of the top member, bench means, hinge members mounted on said bench means, a pintle projecting outwardly from each of said hinge members, and links pivotally mounted at their upper ends on said pintles, said links being both slidably and hingedly connected at their lower ends to the leg members whereby said bench means is adapted to be folded into nested underlying relation beneath the top member.

5. A picnic table comprising a top member, swingable leg members hingedly mounted at opposite ends of the top member, bench means, hinge members including a pair of leaves, one of which is mounted on said bench means, and the other of which is provided with a pintle projecting outwardly at right angles thereto, and a link pivotally mounted at its upper end on said pintle, said link being both slidably and hingedly connected at its lower end to the adjacent leg member Whereby said bench means is adapted to be folded into nested underlying relation beneath the top member.

6. A picnic table comprising a top member,

swingable leg-members hingedly mounted 'at opposite ends 'of the top member, support pins projee'tingoutwardly from said leg members, bench means, and link means Ipivotally mounted at their. 'upper ends'on said bench means, said links being provided in their lower ends with longitudinal 'slots for sliding co-operationvwith said 'support 'pins whereby said bench means is adapted-,to 4-beolded into nested underlying relation 'beneath the top member.

' A'7.4i' picnic 'table comprising a top member, swing-able leg-'niembers 'hingedly mounted at opposite ends" ofthe top member, support pins projecting outwardly from said leg members, bench means,..hinge members mounted on said bench means' adjacent opposite ends of said bench means, said hinge members each including a pair of leaves one of which is secured to the bench means and the other of which is provided with a pintle projecting outwardly therefrom, and links pivotally mounted at their upper ends on said pintles, said links being provided in their lower ends with longitudinal slots for sliding co-operation with said support pins whereby said bench means is adapted to be folded into nested underlying relation with the top member.

8. A picnic table comprising a top member, swingable: leg members hingedly mounted at opposite ends of the top member, support pins projecting outwardly from said leg members, hinge members mounted at the outer corners of said bench means, said hinge members each including a pair of leaves one of which is secured to the bench means and the other of which is provided with a pintle projecting outwardly therefrom, and links pivotally mounted at their upper ends on said pintles, said links being provided in their lower portions with longitudinal slots for slidable co-operation with said support pins whereby said links may be shifted through an arc of 90, said pintles permitting said links to be folded into nested position beneath said top member when said leg members are so folded.

9. A picnic table comprising a top member, transverse end rails secured upon the under face of the top member adjacent each end and having inwardly presented longitudinal grooves, swingable pairs of leg members hingedly mounted on the end rails of the top member, and bench means swingably mounted upon the leg members and having a seat board, the end margins of said seat board being adapted to slide within the grooves and to be therein maintained when said bench means is folded into nested underlying relation beneath the top member.

10. A picnic table comprising a top member, transverse end rails secured upon the under face of the top member adjacent each end and having inwardly presented longitudinal grooves extending throughout the length of said end rails, swingable pairs of leg members hingedly mounted on the end rails of the top-member, and bench means swingably mounted upon the leg members and having a seat board adapted to lit edgewise into the grooves of the end rails when the bench means is folded up into nested underlying relation beneath the top member.

11. A picnic table comprising a top member, transverse end rails secured upon the under face of the top member adjacent each end thereof, said end rails being provided on their inner surface with longitudinal grooves, pairs of connected leg members hingedly mounted upon the end rails 'for optional disposition in upright position perpendicular to the top member and collapsed 1 positlon'ln spaced parallel relation to the under face of the top member, collapsiblebench means swingably mounted upon the ,leg vmembers and adaptedyto be -folded into nested underlying ref' lation beneathfthe top member by sliding within the grooves when the leg members are folded into collapsed vpositionand rollenelements mounted upon the ends of one pair oileg Amem-k bers and adapted optionally to be..shiftednto operative position when the leg n lembersare uprigntvand folded atwise into compact underlyingl relation when the leg members are in collapsed-position. 1 0.

- v l LESSING ALCH.

REFERENCES CITEDv :The: following references are of. record in-the Afile' of thispatent: l f

8VA f UNITED STATES PATIENTS Number 1,5 Number Name o Date Solesz Sept; 22', 1931 Elben et al.; Apr. 13. 1909 f AWiser 1 Oct. '10 1916 Moore Oct. 31, 1916 Fetterman Feb. 21, 1922 Hisey et al Jan. l24, 1928 Mand Feb. 12, 1929 Alpers 'Apr 24, 1934 Mitchell July 22, 1941 Qunney June 5, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Italy May 30, 1930 Great Britain Aug. 22, 1938 

